Get In The Game

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IMAGE: vivianjohnson.com

From the street, the Bucket Brigade Saloon(8012 SE Powell Blvd., 774-8953)—flanked by brightly colored fast-food joints—looks like a nunnery or Turkish prison. But inside it feels more like Reno. Booze and lottery advertisements surround the dining area, stick to the low ceiling and even creep onto the television sets via a service called Barfly TV (in a delightful twist, the service presents Pitchfork’s latest indie-rock headlines while the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ cover of “Love Rollercoaster” blares from the speakers). But here’s the thing: All the ads are just over-the-top enough to make you feel like you’re in the game (NASCAR, specifically). Besides, the place serves one of the best charbroiled burgers in town (a handful of variations run in the $7 to $10 range, all served with killer housemade shoestring fries). Throw in an elaborate back patio and you’ve got a new reason to drive out to 80th and Powell.